totally forsaking them The Second Induration or hardning the first is a final denial of Grace necessary to obtain eternal life thus God is said to forsake wicked Men when he leaves them in unbelief and denyeth them Faith in Christ which no reprobate hath Hardning is a higher degree of punishment 't is an effect of God's anger when he doth not take away the hardness and malice which is in a Man's heart but by a just judgment it becomes a punishment for former sins and by outward means is so aggravated that though God addeth no new degree of hardness it suffereth it to spring out of the root of former evils thus we often read in Exodus (c) Exod. 4.21 and chap. 7 3 13. c. God hardned Pharaoh's heart and the (d) Chap. 14.17 Egyptians but this hardning doth not indifferently befall every reprobate only some notorious sinners whence it is a particular judgment of God which is not executed with a bare Permission and Direction with relation to every reprobate but with acting something within and without the wicked whereby their malice and hardness is increased we have several reasons to prove it First Hardning is a Judiciary act of God and an effect of his Anger Now a Judge doth punish not only with permitting and directing but also with actually inflicting a Pain by himself or by another When God hardneth he doth something as it appeareth by the usual phrase of Scripture which expresseth the judgment of an Angry God with words signifying an action now he who only permitteth doth not act but leaves others to act and to call this a direction to the end is not to the purpose the direction is not the hardning but a consequence of it Furthermore if hardning properly so called was a bare permission it would not be a special judgment of God as it is against notorious sinners because no sin is committed by any sinner whatsoever but by God's permission Moreover if God was said to harden Men because he permitteth them to be hardned in the same manner he might be said to Kill Steal commit Adultery c. because he permitteth all these sins which is most false Therefore God's hardning a Man's heart is not a bare permission but an action as it appeareth in the case of Pharaoh for if God had hardned only permissively there had been no need of so often repeating by Moses the command of letting the people go no need of so many Miracles wrought nor of so many Plagues inflicted upon Egypt whereby the Tyrant was more and more hardned and more cruel Which is the effect of those judgments of God upon some to whom they are an occasion of growing worse and worse Thus when (a) Rev. 16.9 21. men were scorched with great heat and when great hail out of heaven fell upon them they repented not to give God glory but blasphemed the name of God which may be they would not have done had it not been for the smart of the Plague the feeling of God's heavy hand makes wicked Men fly out break into a rage and grow mad as we read of Julian the Apostate who in the Fight where he dyed being wounded with an Arrow took in his hand some of the Blood that came out of the Wound and threw it up whilst he pronounced these blasphemous words against our Saviour Galilean thou hast overcome me Thus God by himself or instruments works such things as make notorious sinners much worse and more desperate This Doctrine (a) Lib. 5. contra Julian cap. 3. de grat lib. â—rbit cap. 20.21 Austin taught out of Scripture and by other strong reasons proveth how God doth blind the minds and hardneth the hearts not with patience and bare permission but with power and action Amongst other things in several places he saith to this purpose how by a just and secret judgment of God the wills of wicked Men are moved to commit those things which in relation to Men have the nature of sin This I bring to shew that as our Adversaries would have it 't is no new Doctrine of our own but that some Eminent Doctors of the primitive Church have found it in Scripture as well as we But the better to understand this we must know how God hardneth Satan hardneth and reprobates harden themselves God as a Judge Satan as an Executioner and the wicked harden themselves as guilty Men. First God hardneth not by infusing any malice or hardness but first leaving them in their hardness not softning them withdrawing and denying them his Grace Secondly Working something both within and without wicked Men by means whereof out of their natural corruption they take an occasion of hardning themselves more and more such are several thoughts and affections not evil in themselves as may be outward lust and desire of Honour Riches c. which the corrupt mind is easily and blindly inticed by and lead unto such are also several Calamities Precepts Accusations Threatnings Prohibitions Thirdly With delivering up to Satan and to ones corrupt affection Fourthly Inclining evil affections to some certain Objects as a punishment for some times one sin is the punishment of another The Devil having God's leave hardneth with inticing men to all sorts of evils blinding Reason disturbing the Fancy striking Fear giving vain hopes and suggesting evil Thoughts when Men are either awake or a sleep Wicked men do harden themselves with giving up themselves to their own lusts rejecting the dictates of Right reason despising commands threatnings c. Hence it appeareth how the acts of the Devil and of Reprobates side concurring to harden are evil for the most part but on God's part all are good of themselves therefore God can by no means be made the Author of sin though he hardneth not only with permitting but also in acting There is no certainty of Reprobation whilst Man is alive except in case of the sin against the Holy Ghost which is never forgiven and so committed by none but Reprobates all other sins are pardonable which are common to Elect specially to those not yet regenerated and to Reprobates therefore by them we ought not and cannot ground any judgment The sin against the Holy Ghost doth not befall every Reprobate but only some as induration properly so called and although the number of Reprobates be much greater than that of the Elect yet no Man but he who is guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost hath just cause to despair and of that too one is not rashly to judge but hereafter we shall have occasion to enlarge upon this Before I make an end with this point as much conducing to our purpose and to shew that what we hold in this matter is the doctrine of St. Paul I must shew how two Objections of our Adversaries against it were set down and answered by the Apostle They are contained in the 9th Chapter to the Romans wherein are decided these matters of
declaration partly in the words and partly in the event There is then no contrariety but that sign which doth not agree with that Decree which it doth not belong to will agree with another of which it is the sign And because this is a matter of high concernment both as to the Decrees of God and as to his word between which nor in the word it self there is no contrariety to make the matter the more clear I will bring two more instances The first is out of Genesis (a) Gen. 22.2 12. God said to Abraham take thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest and get thee into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering c. Here God commandeth Abraham to Sacrifice his Son but in the 12 verse lay not thine hand upon the lad neither do thou any thing unto him Here God forbiddeth him to Sacrifice his Son hence it apeareth as also the event made it good how God would not have Isaac to be sacrificed though before he had positively commanded it The second instance God by Moses said to Pharaoh (b) Exod. 9.1 12. Let my people go that they may serve me these are the words whereby God declareth he will have Pharaoh to let Israel go and verse the 12. God hardned the heart of Pharaoh that he would not let the people go As (c) Exod. 4.21 he said to Moses he would do I will harden the heart of Pharaoh that he will not let my people go Which God did at (d) Chap. 10.20 27. several times hence it appeareth that God in his Decree would not have Pharaoh at that time to let his people go when he commanded him to let him go for God hardened his heart that he would not let him go This is the other instance God forbid that Scripture should attribute to God two contrary wills a sign contrary to the Decree or a declaration in his word opposite to his eternal purpose which to affirm is no less than Blasphemy What difference or contrariety seems to be here is not real only in appearance arising from this that though in Scripture God ever signifieth that he will have that which indeed he is willing to have yet he doth not always precisely signifie that positively he would have that which at the first sight we conceive him to be willing to have Wherefore to remove difficulties to assert God's truth and shew the harmony and agreement between God's Good-pleasure or Decree and his revealed will in his word we must go to Scripture and accordingly proceed to a farther examination of the places In the History of sacrificing Isaac do appear two inward and different thoughts of God partly out of Scripture and partly out of the Event The first was to preserve Isaac on whom were the promises and hinder Abraham from killing him The second thought of God was his will by a command to engage Abraham to Sacrifice his Son who by vertue of that order prepared himself to obey and thereby give an illustrious example of Obedience which was tryed by this For in the first verse 't is said God tempted Abraham so was Job tryed to be made a famous example of Patience as in this Abraham was both of Faith and Obedience Now to the point to every one of these Thoughts and Decrees of God answered its sign which are not to be confounded one with another To the first and not to the last belonged this Sign or Declaration thou shalt not lay thy hand on the Lad c. which at first was not revealed to Abraham Not to the first but to the last answered this sign Offer thy Son for a burnt offering ye see here is no real contradiction different Decrees different Signs and a true harmony between signs and things signified which would be disturbed if the sign of the first was attributed to the last and of the last to the first Now to the other Instance in the History of Pharaoh are also to be considered two different Thoughts of Good-pleasure of God When Pharaoh was the first second and third time commanded to let Israel go God's will was not so soon to bring his people out of Egypt but to harden the heart of Pharaoh not to let them go The second Thought was to oblige Pharaoh by a special command to let the Jews go but not presently for then God had missed his aim and with hardning Pharaoh's heart had contributed towards it which is in no wise consisting with God's Wisdom but the end was to let Pharaoh understand that he was justly punished for obstinately disobeying God's command and this hardness of Pharaoh was an occasion for God to make his power known through the earth Exod. 9.16 Every one of these thoughts had its proper sign the first 's and not the last's which at first was hidden from Pharaoh is expressed in these words I will harden the heart of Pharaoh that he will not let my people go The sign of the last and not of the first declared to Pharaoh is expressed in these words let my people go Thus one may see here is no real contradiction but a true agreement between the signs and the decrees as their things signified and it would cause a confusion if they were not rightly applyed Thus one may see the true sense and meaning of those places of Scripture which I have the more insisted upon because the matter is of so high a concernment and that by the means of those distinctions of the will of God one may resolve the doubts and difficulties which occur upon this matter But before I leave it I must take notice of a new fangled distinction already mentioned in the Chapter of Predestination the more because this brings us directly upon Arminians 't is of the will of God unto absolute or peremptory and conditional the former say they depends upon no condition but the last doth If by this they meant only that which is called of the sign it might be allowed for sometimes in Scripture are conditional Precepts Promises and Threatnings But when they extend it to God's Decrees some whereof they would have to depend upon certain conditions which from Eternity God hath foreseen shall never be performed as when they say God hath decreed to save those that are to be damned upon condition they shall repent and believe in Christ We cannot but reject it as contrary to God's Wisdom Amongst Men one would be lookt upon as very imprudent and inconsiderate who would seriously resolve upon a thing under a condition which he is most sure will never be performed Thus if a Prince would in earnest resolve to make an old ignorant Man unexperienced dull unskilfull in every Art and Science his Chancelour upon condition he becomes a famous Orator a great Statesman very Wise and Prudent versed in all manner of learning and that he gets all endowments necessary for the Place which comparison I look upon as very
the lake of fire and brimstone that is Hell and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever and in that same chap. ver 12. again amongst the Books that were opened a particular mention is made of the Book of Life the opening of which Book is mentioned by a (m) Dan. 7.10 and 12.1 Philip. 4.3 Prophet and by an Apostle speaking of some whose names are written in the Book of Life On the other side we say that as God hath elected some to everlasting Life so others he hath reprobated and appointed to eternal Death The Decree of Predestination is the sentence of both of Pardon and Absolution for some and of Condemnation for others See the proof of this (n) Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known to men endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Such as Esan whom God hated such as Pharaoh (o) Ver. 13 17. whom God raised for this same purpose that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth All the earth is God's and so are all that dwell therein and this calls to my mind a common saying we have my Lord is Lord and Master at home where as he pleases he may order things as they best conduce to his honour and convenience and if we may argue from the less to the greater why should we not say Heaven and Earth are God's why then should not the Lord dispose of all things therein for his Glory as it best seems good unto him Scripture speaks of it as matter of Fact I hope no Man may or will question the matter of Right (p) Jude 4. There are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation c. So that as some are ordained to eternal life others are to condemnation this is a Scripture phrase not of our making We have a third witness for this Truth Christ is a stone (d) 1 Pet. 2.8 a stumbling and a rock of offence to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed As some are vessels of honour appointed to obedience of Faith so others are vessels of dishonour appointed to disobedience and this we do clearly see in the next verse by the opposition he makes between some men and others But ye saith he are a chosen generation Vers 9. a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people The Lord Jesus saith clearly how at the last day there shall be two sorts of men To his sheep at the right hand he will say Matth. 25.33 3â— c. come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Which proveth their Election to Glory from Eternity as blessed of the Father In these words I think I read God's Decree of Election of those blessed ones But Christ will say to those on the left depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his Angels Here is a Kingdom prepared for the blessed of the Father from the foundation of the World here is an everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels so that in that very place me may see Christ opening the Books of Election and Reprobation of Salvation and Damnation not only the Names but the Persons of the Elect may be seen on the right-hand as those of the reprobate may be seen on the left This everlasting fire is prepared not only for the Devil and his Angels but also for the Devil and his Children for so our Saviour calleth some Jews (e) John 8.44 Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning c. he is a lyar and the father of it Thus Elymas the Sorcerer is by St. Paul call'd (f) Acts 13.10 thou child of the devil thou enemy of all righteousness Such was Judas by our Saviour called (g) Joh. 17.12 the son of perdition who as Peter saith (h) Acts 1.25 was gone to his own place If there be as certainly there is a place for the Devils and wicked Men prepared from Eternity there is reason also why from Eternity wicked men should he appointed for that place upon which account as I said before they are vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Now that God is the efficient cause of both Election and Reprobation 't is plain out of what the Apostle saith (i) 1 Thes 5 9. God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ Then God doth appoint some Men to Wrath and some to Salvation Thus the Reader may see how strong in that way cometh the stream of Scripture which we do but follow Our Second Article is this The only moving cause of our Election is the meer good pleasure love free-grace and mercy of God This truth we also have many proofs of I (k) Exod. 33.19 will saith God be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy What can Men object against this By the mouth of his Prophet he saith (l) Hos 14.4 I will love them freely We use to say nothing is more free than Love Yet amongst Men some motive or pretence may happen to be assigned but in relation to God's love to the Creature no such thing may be pleaded for even in this world when God prefereth a people or one person before another there is nothing in that subject to move him to it as in the case of the Children of Israel Moses tells them plainly first not for their number (m) Deut. 7.7 8. the Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because you were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you and would keep the oath he had sworn unto your fathers Let this stop every Man's mouth God loves because he will love let who can go further and fathom that which is infinite neither were they chosen and loved for their wisdom for (n) Deut. 32.21 they were a nation void of counsel neither was there any understanding in them Nor for their uprightness of heart or for (o) chap. 9.4 5 6. their righteousness for they were a stiff-necked people Neither was it for any power of theirs (p) chap. 8.17 18. to do to say not so much as in thine heart my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth And (q) chap. 4.38 the nations that were driven out before them were greater and mightier than they So none of the things mentioned nor any thing else in them commended them to God We see how careful was that faithful Servant of God to beat them out of the conceit of any merits of their own
act of their Conversion (l) Psal 115.3 For our God is in the heavens he hath done whatsoever he pleased The same in another place we have with enlargement (m) Psal 13.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the seas and all deep places No deeper places than Man's Heart which no humane power can dive into much less to frame and govern it but God can and doth even those hearts that are the most unsearchable and past finding out the hearts of Kings full of turnings and windings of humane Policy (n) Prov. 21.1 Yet the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whithersoever he will Ver. 2. he makes nothing of it and the Lord pondereth the hearts Now in matter of Conversion the greatest opposition lies in the heart but God can remove it as it pleases him Therefore let it be never so stubborn it must fall when God will have it and it can never finally resist Grace (o) Isa 45.23 I have sworn by my self saith the Lord that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear yea and every heart too shall vow and swear Who can resist the power of God when he hath a mind effectually to work (a) Chap. 43.13 I will work and who shall let it What miserable wretches are those that dare assert the Contrary Our 4th Article saith True justifying Faith is peculiar to God's Elect St. Paul indeed calls it (b) Tit. 1.1 the faith of God's elect and it must be proper to them because it is an effect and consequence of Election (c) Rom. 11.7 Israel hath not obtained that which he secketh for saith Paul what is it Righteousness and Justification they were seeking to be justified by the works of the Law which is not the way Faith is the only instrument of justification before God and as true Faith is an infallible effect and consequence of Election for they that are predestinated are also called and justified as appeareth (d) Rom. 8.30 by the link of Salvation so election hath obtained it Justification is only for the Elect and the rest were blinded saith the Apostle in the same verse We also in the same Article do affirm that the true regenerate and believers never fall totally but persevere in the Faith we have God's word for it the blessed and good man saith David (e) Psal 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down the reason is in the latter-end of the verse and a good one two for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand and in another place speaking of the same sort of men he saith (f) Psal 145.14 The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all those that be bowed down Our 5th Article is that Christ effectually died not for all because Scripture speaking of the extent of his death reduceth it to many Our Saviour saith (g) Matth. 20.28 The Son of Man came to give his life a ransom for many the same word he used when he instituted his holy Supper (h) Chap. 26.28 For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many not for all for the remission of sins none could know the design of his death and whom he died for better than himself St. Paul makes use of the same word when he saith (i) Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many long before his time a great Prophet had said so or rather God by his mouth (k) Isai 53.11 12. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many only those whom he died for are justified for justification is the fruit of his death and in the following verse 't is joyned to his Death and Satisfaction for sin And he bare the sin of many Who these many are Scripture explains it in other places they are called his people the Angel said to Joseph (a) Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins In another place they are named his sheep I (b) 1 John 10.15 lay down my live for my sheep saith the Lord Jesus St. Paul calls them his Church (c) Acts 20.28 Have a care to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood So elsewhere he saith (d) Ephes 5. â—5 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it Our 6th Article saith there is not in any one such free-will such universal sufficient grace whereby to be saved if they will let a man never so much consult in his affairs yet God hath the governing part (*) Prov. 16.9 For though a man's heart deviseth his way yet the Lord directeth his steps And although (e) Chap. 19.21 there are many devices in a man's heart nevertheless the council of the Lord that shall stand And if (*) Chap. 20.24 man's goings are of the Lord as certainly they be How can a man then understand his own way How can he be free to chuse specially in those things that concern his Spiritual and Eternal wellfare If we have free-will How is it (f) Isai 26.12 that God hath wrought all our works in us With free-will we could do it our selves and if in every one there be a sufficient universal grace how can it be true That (g) Jerm 10.21 the Pastors are become brutish and have not forght the Lord therefore they shall not prosper and all their flocks shall be scattered Wherein is the grace here and where the sufficiency But we must come closer to the point (h) John 6.44 No man can come to me except the father which hath sent me draw him Where is here our free-will and our sufficient grace Our Saviour to beat us out of this conceit saith (i) Chap 15.5 6. Without me ye can do nothing it is not said far from me for then we being near him might happen to do something of our own but without me we must have him or we can do nothing at all not so much as to think a good thought which is least of all for St. Paul saith (k) 2 Cor. 3.5 not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves take notice of the double exclusion given to our selves but our sufficiency is of God there we must look for it and expect it from Our Saviour to make us the more sensible how without him we can do nothing strengthned that saying with a similitude very proper in the next verse If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered a branch of a Vine or any other Tree that is broken or cut off from the Tree and Root is thereby deprived of the Sap and nourishment thence convey'd to it so it cannot live but is withered and cast into the fire to be burned no sign or hopes of life in
the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began And in another Epistle (f) Colos 1.26 The mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest to his saints 'T is named (g) Tit. 1.2 the hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began Because our hope of it is grounded there upon which place proveth also the immutability and certainty of it for God cannot lye And St. Peter calleth Christ (h) 1 Pet. 1.19 20. the lamb without blemish and without spot who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world All which Texts do point at our Election in Christ from all Eternity so we need no longer to insist upon this but to proceed to the unchangeableness When we say Election is unchangeable we mean that none of those that are elected to everlasting life can perish and be damned which is the same as to say the number of Elect is certain and can neither be augmented nor diminished so that the Elect ever remain Elect and are never reprobates Several places in Scripture do prove this immutability of Gods Decrees as the following which are so clear that there is no need of enlargement or exposition I (a) Mal. 3.6 the Lord change not not in his Nature which is always the same that was that is and that is to come Eternal immortal c. Nor doth he change place because he always is every where filling all with his infinite Being nor is his Mind and Will which is the question in hand he is not as men who often alter their resolutions but God being most and infinitely wise the only Wise is unchangeable in his Decrees So that (b) 2 Tim. 2.19 the foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his His chosen (c) Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance for (d) Numb 23.19 he is not a man that he should lye neither the Son of Man that he should repent I know our Adversaries cast a slanderous aspersion upon this Doctrine as thus let a Man walk continue and obstinately persevere in sin and do all the evil he can if he be unalterably elected to eternal life he needs not care what he doth for he shall be saved which say they is an encouragement to sin so a Man that is a reprobate let him do all possible good things 't is in vain he can never be saved But those that say so must either have a great deal of gall and malice in their Heart and be in the bonds of iniquity or be very ignorant of God's ways and of the workings of grace upon the heart What an injurious opinion have they of God as if he knew not what he doth to bring Men into Heaven by the way of Hell or into Hell by the way of Heaven hath the Lord forfeited his wisdom as to separate the means from the end Is it not blasphemy to think nay which is more to say that God who so strictly forbideth Sin and commandeth Repentance and Holiness in his word would therein give an encouragement to all manner of vice and wickedness We own that if the Elect would obstinately continue in sin they should be damned but God who will not have them to be damned and Perish but after they have sinned to return to him and (e) 2 Pet. 3.9 come to repentance doth convert and with threatinngs and chastisements contain them in their duty as it appeareth in the cases of David Peter c. I add 't is no more consisting for an Elect to persevere in sin to the end than for a Reprobate to persevere in grace and true Faith which he never had They who in consequence of their Election be converted are of another sort of temper than those Slanderers take them to be of notwithstanding the frailty of the Elect there is in them a fear and love of God sin dwelleth but doth not reign in them though sometimes they commit wickedness yet they have not sold themselves as 't is said of Ahab to commit it they sin but are none of those whom the Apostle speaks of (a) 2 Pet. 2.14 that cannot cease from sin If sometimes God leaveth them to themselves yet he returns to them with his restraining preventing and strengthening Grace (b) Psal 68.28 He strengtheneth that which he hath wrought for them and in St. Peter's words God doth (c) 1 Pet 5.10 make them perfect stablisheth strengtheneth and settleth them After sin God doth give them Checks We read of David that after his sin of numbering the People (d) 2 Sam. 24.10 His heart smote him they have reality of faith though it be weak sincerity of Repentance though it be unperfect truth of love to God and Charity for the Neighbour though attended with much frailty and weakness Those that have experience and some inward assurance of God's mercy to them in Christ have better thoughts of their duty and will not be drudges of sin and Satan they will be afraid of doing things unworthy of God's Children for fear of displeasing so gracious a Father they will endeavour to work their Salvation with fear and trembling and as much as humane frailty and the sinfulness of their nature will allow they will avoid doing things unworthy of their holy calling they who have such an opinion of them have not yet tasted how good and sweet the Lord is We who assert this true and sound Doctrine of Election know (e) Ephes 1.4 we are chosen that we should be holy not commit sin and wickedness we are called unto holiness and certainly in God's Children the persuasion of Election is the greatest motive and encouragement they can have to a good life and conversation We know we are God's workmanship Chap. 2.10 created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Not to lead a loose and vicious life and that (a) 2 Tim. 2.19 Psal 85.8 every one that nameth the name of Christ let him as much as he can depart from iniquity And not turn again to foll Every one that hath a saving knowledge of God's word which is the rule of Practice as of Doctrine is convinced it is against a vicious and wicked life (b) Tit. 3 8.14 This is a faithful saying saith Paul And these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works And the 6th verse following he gives the same charge Let ours also learn to maintain good works We do and so will all true Believers joyn with St. Peter in a just and right conclusion of a gracious premise (c) 1 Pet. 2. â— Ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people All this is admirable well but what will our
fellow servant for though it was unpossible for him to pay the ten thousand talents yet he delivered him to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due that is for-ever for he could never do 't here the torments of Hell are meant so God may justly do with every Man whom he hath no mind to be merciful to I do add one thing more how the Law promised life upon unpossible conditions of a mans own perfect obedience yet we do not read that any of the Jews ever said the Law was unjust on the contrary we find the Law was confessed to be holy just and good Rom. 7.12 and let some men say what they will we all know and must own that faith the condition upon which eternal life is promised in the Gospel is unpossible for men because 't is a gift of God Let therefore God be owned to be just in all his ways 2 Thes 2.12 though all may be damned who believe not the truth God sent them strong delusions to believe a lye that they might be damned as if he had said that there might be a just cause of their damnation CHAP. XI Of FAITH NOW we must come to the chief and most excellent Gospel Grace which is Faith concerning which also Arminians do teach many unsound things we intend by the Grace of God to speak of every one of them in order Satan ever raised his strongest batteries against this (a) Ephes 6.16 shield wherewith we are able to quench his fiery darts To have a right understanding of this matter we must know Scripture doth mention four kinds of Faith First Historical whereby we believe the Word of God to be true as 't is revealed in Scriptures and God to be the God of Truth the Devils have this Faith (b) Jam. 2.19 for they believe and tremble Secondly The Faith of Miracles which at first was granted thereby to confirm the Doctrine of the Cospel for (c) 1 Cor. 14.22 tongues a sort of Miracles aâ—â— a sign not to believere but to unvelievers t is a certain persuasion grounded upon some Revelation or a special Promise of some miraculous work to be done Our Saviour granted it to the Apostles but it ceased long ago Thirdly Temporal Faith is a knowledge and assent to Truth contained in God's Word but only for a time hence called Temporal attended with some joy arising out of the consideration of some worldly advantages or of the thoughts and bare notion of a future happiness which at last vanish away Some Reprobates have this Faith This our Saviour speaks of when he mentions that part of the (d) Matth. 13.20 21. Seed which fell into stony places where it is received with joy Thus (e) Mark 6.20 Herod heard gladly John the Baptist and went farther for he did many things and observed him Whether this as (f) Acts 26.28 Agrippa's being almost perswaded to be a Christian may be said of Temporal or only of Historical Faith I will not dispute it being nothing at all material for my purpose but this I say that this Temporal Faith sometimes goeth so far that they who have it are said (g) Heb. 6.4 to have tasted of the heavenly gift and been made partakers of the holy Ghost The spirit of God sometimes bestoweth grace upon some which graces are not common nor saving neither our Saviour saith to the man in the Gospel who had discreetly answered him (h) Mark 12.34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of Heaven for a man may go far on the way and yet fall short of it All that came out of Egypt though they went far into the wilderness nay some came within sight of the Land of Promise yet never entred into it so many (i) Matth. 7.14 strive to enter in at the straight gate who cannot find it We read of one (k) Mark 10.20 21. who observed all the commandments from his youth and in part he spok the truth for 't is said our Saviour beholding him loved him which he would not have done if he had told him a lye This I insist the more upon to make this temporal Faith better known and how far it bordereth upon true faith because our Adversaries do confound it with the true faith which is the fourth kind of Faith This is the only true faith otherwise called saving and justifying faith which doth consist not only in knowledge of things necessary to Salvation and also in an assent to all truths revealed in Gods word which reprobates may have but also in a trust and confidence and relying upon Christ and in a special way applying unto the Soul the general promises of God without this there is no true faith and here we are to do two things First To shew the difference between temporal and justifying faith and then prove that assurance is essential to true faith without which it cannot be such As to the first saving faith is attended with a real spiritual joy not arising out of any humane consideration but only out of the sence of God's mercy this temporal faith hath not nor the following signs of saving faith Secondly True faith hath a love of Christ overcoming all difficulties which love is attended with a religious fear of offending God and with a studying how to promote his glory Thirdly A sence of a future happiness amidst the greatest troubles and calamities Fourthly A hope of glory which maketh not ashamed raised within us by the spirit (a) Rom. 8.15 which beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God Lastly A special unmoveable trust and confidence in the mercy of God and an application of Christ's merits Temporal faith hath nothing to do with these but they are proper to true saving faith Hence may appear the error of our Adversaries or rather of the truth who would have temporal and saving faith to be the same in nature and to differ only as to duration of time Now as to the other thing that a trust and confidence in God is of the nature of faith it doth appear from the names given faith in the word of God 'T is called boldness and confidence (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him or a strong persuasion A liberty of confidence (c) And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 3. chap. 10.19 and 1 Joh. 5.14 If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end A full assurance (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith A (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ— 11.1 substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Also confidence (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 16.33 This is the confidence we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he
we should look only into that rotten part of it we might well say of it with the Prophet (i) Isa 1.21 How is the faithful City become an Harlot and apply to it what is spoken of the Church of Sardis I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die Thou hast the name of the Church of England but thou art not as to that thou art dead thou art such only in a Shew Soundness in Matters of Grace is one of the Vitals of true Religion and of a true Church There are some things remaining in thee thou art not altogether Pelagian thou art not a thorough-paced Papist thou mincest the Matter and ownest something of Grace but have a care Rev. 3.1 2. for those things are ready to die if they be not strengthned Though the Corruption in these points of Grace be very Epidemical and too far spread amongst those who pretend to be the Sons of the Church Yet Thanks be to God all are not infected all along there have been and still are some who receive the Mother's Counsel and follow her Directions in the same sense and meaning thereof and continue obedient Children which others do not For by what I already said it doth appear how Arminianism far from being the Doctrine of the Church as constituted in the beginning of Reformation and long after is contrary to and condemned by it One thing more I shall add to shew as I said but just now that for all the great and general Corruption crept amongst the Members in those and late Days There are and have been some eminent Members of the Church not ashamed of the Truth nor afraid to own it And for the truth of this I appeal to the Author Anonymus and nameless of the Book called Several Conferences between a Romish Priest a Fanatick Chaplain and a Divine of the Church of England His Evidence must be the more received that he is no favourer of Dissenters but declares himself an Enemy to them and to Puritans in that he most undecently traduces the Chaplain for a Fool and doth ridicule him to such a height as if he wanted common Sense and Reason and could speak nothing but Nonsence for himself Well he saith thus P. D. for he makes himself the Protestant Divine (a) Pag. 76. at the latter end Very wonderful Proofs as though many of our Church against the Puritan Party had not been inclined to Calvinism in the point of Predestination specially in that moderate way wherein R. Abbot asserted it as though it were not possible for Men to be zealous for our Liturgy and Ceremonies if they held the Doctrine of Election and Perseverance But we do not want those of the highest Order in our Church at this day who are eminent for Learning and Piety and Zeal for the Church who would take it very ill from T. G. upon the account of those Opinions to be thought Enemies of the Church of England as the Puritans were So that although that Truth of late Years was much opposed and abused God never left it without Witnesses Here besides the eminent Doctors and Prelates we named before Amongst those that have succesfully taken great pains in Latin to vindicate this Truth we must reckon Dr. Ames and Dr. Twysse and beyond Sea Peter Molienaus in his Anatome Arminianismi Wedelius's Arcana Arminianismi with the Acts of the Synod of Dort c. All which as to matter of Fact as of right do give impartial and reasonable Readers a full satisfaction In the mean time seeing Matters of Grace are Fundamental to our Salvation we are highly concerned to mind them Let this Question be put to any or to every Man Would you go into Heaven or into Hell I think there is none so desperately wicked but that if the thing depended upon a Wish without wavering he would answer Into Heaven Then if he hath the least sparkle of Reason he must grant he cannot go without a Way and a Guide to lead him thorough for the Way is thorny and full of Difficulties In the choice of a Guide let him come to this Dilemma chuse either God or Man Surely he may easily determine I had rather to trust to God than to Man About Means and Ways the Arminian saith if you have a mind you can go to Heaven you have within you a sufficient Grace and Light to carry you thither you have a free Will you can go if you please for you can repent believe make a good use of Means and persevere if you will But on the other side let us hear what God saith Thou canst not see for thou art blind thou canst not hear for thou art deaf thou canst not speak for thou art dumb thou canst not walk for thou art impotent and lame thou canst not move because thou art dead In prosecuting of this Argument I shall not do as Arminians who frame in their Heads some pretty and pleasant Notions and deliver them in as plausible a manner as they can and take us to be so credulous as to take their bare Word for it without any Scripture Proofs But first in general we say in matters of temporal Deliverance or Salvation much more as to eternal Salvation God reserveth it only to himself For (a) Psal 3.8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord and (b) Jon. 2.9 Salvation is of the Lord and (c) Isa 26.1 Salvation will God appoint for (d) Luk. 1.69 he hath raised up an Horn of Salvation for us We know who said (e) Psal 37.39 The Salvation of the Righteous is of the Lord and (f) Rom. 6.23 the Gift of God is eternal Life which is the same with Salvaion That is a Gift of God not a Word of Man in it God is the only Physician of the Soul that is his Right and Property which no Man may invade or encroach upon without making himself liable to the Curse of God But let us come to Particulars I need not to prove a thing granted that there is Blindness Darkness and Ignorance in the Mind Hardness Stubbornness and Deadness in the Heart with Perverseness and Rebelliousness in the Affections But I am to shew how to cure these is the proper Work of God (g) Psal 119.125 God and no Man gives us understanding to know his Testimonies and when he is pleased to (h) v. 144. give us understanding we shall live Thus Christ (i) Luk. 24.45 opened the understanding of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures 'T is (k) Psal 146.8 the Lord and none else that openeth the Eyes of the blind and raiseth them that are bowed down Here also he upholdeth and strengthneth the weak (l) Isa 35.5 The eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped Here is a Promise and a Remedy for the deaf